Updated NFL playoff picture for Cowboys following heartbreaking loss to Bengals

With a win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, the Dallas Cowboys would have pulled to within two games of the Washington Commanders in the NFC wild-card race.

And it looked as if America's Team was about to do just that.

With the score tied 20-20, the Dallas defense came up with a big stop, forcing the Bengals into a punt from deep within their own territory, a punt which was ultimately blocked by Cowboys special-teamer/linebacker Nick Vigil.

Had Dallas not touched the ball, the Cowboys' offense would've taken possession at roughly the Cincinnati 40-yard line. Instead, though, Amani Oruwariye attempted to make a play on the football but couldn't control it, thus giving the Bengals the chance to recover it, which they did.

Three plays later, Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase connected for a 40-yard touchdown, giving Cincy a 27-20 lead. Dallas still had a minute to match the score but failed to do so, and that was that.

With the loss, the Cowboys dropped to 5-8 and effectively saw their already slim postseason hopes go up in smoke.

Updated NFC playoff picture and standings heading into Week 15

If the NFL Playoffs were to start tomorrow, this is what the NFC side of the bracket would look like.

1. Detroit Lions (12-1, 1st NFC North)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (11-2, 1st NFC East)
3. Seattle Seahawks (8-5, 1st NFC West)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6, 1st NFC South)
5. Minnesota Vikings (11-2, 2nd NFC North)
6. Green Bay Packers (9-4, 3rd NFC North)
7. Washington Commanders (8-5, 2nd NFC East)

While still mathematically possible for Dallas to clinch a playoff spot for the fourth consecutive season, the likelihood is extremely low at this point.

As mentioned, a win would have pulled the Cowboys to within two games of the Commanders, who were on a bye this week and currently own the final wild-card berth in the NFC at 8-5. But with four weeks remaining, it'll obviously take quite a bit for Dallas to catch Washington. The good news, of course, is that the Cowboys already own a win over Dan Quinn & Co. and will see them again in Week 18.

The bad news, though, is that Dallas, which is now the No. 13 seed in the conference, would need a lot of help (meaning losses) from the five other teams currently sitting ahead of them in the standings, those being the Los Angeles Rams (No. 8, 7-6), Atlanta Falcons (No. 9, 6-7), Arizona Cardinals (No. 10, 6-7), San Francisco 49ers (No. 11, 6-7), and New Orleans Saints (No. 12, 5-8).

And as the Cowboys would lose head-to-head tiebreakers with Atlanta, San Francisco, and New Orleans, the task becomes that much more daunting.

More Cowboys news and analysis